This invention relates generally to table top games which simulate a sport such as hockey.
A wide variety of table top action games are known and many of these simulate a sport such as hockey or soccer. In a well known table top hockey game having a generally planar and rectangular playing surface and a side wall extending about the perimeter of this playing surface, there are two sets of playing members which can manipulate a movable object such as a simulated puck over the playing surface. A number of horizontal rods are used to move these playing members along respective slots formed in the playing surface. Either a gear mechanism or a bent spring mechanism is used to operatively connect each of these rods to a respective vertical shaft that extends downwardly through a slot from a playing member. Rotation of the rod about its longitudinal axis will cause rotation of the connected shaft and the playing member. Although this known game is well liked and has been used for many years, it has one substantial limitation in that it can only be played by two persons. In addition to the fact that there are only two teams of playing members on the board, the rods that manipulate these two teams only project from the two opposite ends of the game apparatus. Because of the Close proximity of these rods at each end and the location of same, the known tabletop hockey game would be difficult for more than two persons to use, even if more than two persons attempted to play the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,202,427 issued Aug. 24, 1965 to Chris Patent et al, teaches a hockey type board game with a flat playing surface bordered by eight equal edges and an upstanding peripheral wall. Every other wall has a single goal slot formed therein. Unlike the usual tabletop hockey game, the playing surface has four upwardly projecting deflectors, each of which is aligned between the center of the playing surface and the respective goal slot. This game does not come with movable playing members, particularly ones that can be moved by means of slidable rods. In this known game the puck is manipulated by means of a stick shaped like a hockey stick.
More recent U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,918 issued Oct. 21, 1975 to A. Tractman describes a board game which has a six sided game board which is played with a plurality of pucks and striking sticks. A retaining rim extends around the playing surface and formed in alternate sides of this rim are openings which are centrally located in their respective sides. This game requires the use of a number of starting spots on the board surface on which are disposed a plurality of pucks at the start of the game.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus with a game board playing surface wherein there are four sets of game playing members able to manipulate a movable object such as a puck and wherein the playing members are movable by means of rotatable rods.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tabletop game involving a game board and movable playing members operated by rods, which game can be played by four persons, each of whom operates his or her own set of playing members.